NZR DM Class - Preserved Units

Preserved Units

As of 2013, five English Electric sets had been preserved by individuals or railway societies. Two of the sets are fitted with the original single headlights while three are rebuilt sets featuring the later twin-beam headlight units:

  • DM 16 and D 162 (DM216 and D2687) were withdrawn in 2001 and stored at Hutt Workshops. Restored to working order in 2007 for GWRC, it was named "Phoenix" in service. Withdrawn again in December 2011, the set was donated to the National Railway Museum of New Zealand in early 2013.
  • DM 27 and D 163 (DM320 and D2695) were purchased by two Wellington enthusiasts in 1988 and donated to the Electric Traction Group at Ferrymead. For most of its time at Ferrymead the set remained stored in operable order from its arrival in October 1988 until leased to GWRC in 2008 for use in Wellington until the new 'Matangi' trains arrived, though once the catenary at Ferrymead stretched the full length of track in 2007 it had a few non-passenger runs down the length of track. The set was restored to service with single-arm pantographs in place of the diamond units and its front was repainted yellow, painted red and given its original pre-TMS number as per the wishes of Ferrymead. The set was returned to Ferrymead in 2012 and is in storage. This set is fitted with the original single headlights and is in operational condition.
  • DM 45 and D 144 (DM510 and D2489) were sold in August 2012 to a enthusiast in the Wellington area and were towed to Steam Incorporated's site at Paekakariki for storage. As the initial non-rail use for the sets has encountered issues, the set remains stored outside at Paekakariki. Following several graffiti attacks, one side of the unit has been painted grey although the other side still retains the Tranz Metro two-tone blue livery. This set is the last remaining unit set from the trio that ran the very last English Electric train to Melling on the 25th June 2012, and also was one of the last two units to run on the Johnsonville Line on the 15th June 2012.
  • DM 48 and trailers D 113 and D 138 (DM556, D2130 and D2411) was one of the last single-headlight set in use in Wellington, hence its nickname "Cyclops", and was withdrawn in 2012. Previously shortened to two cars to work on the Johnsonville Branch with DM 27, the set was donated to the newly-founded Wellington Heritage Multiple Unit Preservation Trust in January 2013 and was moved to the Rimutaka Incline Railway's Maymorn site for storage on 21 April 2013. It is the only three-car set to be preserved, and its new owners eventually hope to be able to run it on heritage excursions on the commuter network once they have restored it and adapted the unit to run on the higher system voltage.
  • DM 49 and D 114 (DM562 and D2149) were sold through TradeMe in July 2012. The set was purchased by a family at Belgrove who intend to convert it into two self-contained accomodation units. The set is located on what was once part of the formation for the Nelson Section.

Six D class trailer cars have also found alternative use:

  • D 138 (D2438) and D 169 (D2751) were sold in 1994 to an individual at Silverdale on Auckland's Hibiscus Coast where they were converted to private residences. They were fitted with twin-beam headlights prior to exiting service and are now in poor external condition.
  • D 142 (D2462) was given to the New Zealand Fire Service for use at their Rotorua Training Centre in March 2012, and delivered by rail to Mt Maunganui from where it was trucked to Rotorua.
  • D 145 (D2497) and D 171 (D2786) was given to the New Zealand Special Armed Services (SAS) for use in anti-terrorist training at Papakura Military Camp. D2497 headed north on the 22nd July 2012, with D2786 following in October 2012.
  • D 174 (D2826) has been purchased by the same family at Belgrove who purchased DM562 and D2149. It left Hutt Workshops on the back of a trailer on the 7th March 2013, and has been placed on tracks with the other set. These cars now give the appearance of being a 3-car set, although all are ex-Johnsonville types.

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